


But Not Tonight

by trepkos



Category: Arthur of the Britons
Genre: Angst, M/M, Sexual Content, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-19
Updated: 2013-10-19
Packaged: 2017-10-09 21:54:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/92009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trepkos/pseuds/trepkos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kai has a bad night.<br/>But it gets better.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place after 1.4: The Penitent Invader.

They’re being overrun.

It’s the Picts.

Again.

Time slows down, but Kai can do nothing – can’t even shout a warning; the spear hits Arthur, square in middle of his chest, and knocks him from his horse.

Kai throws himself off his own mount, and dodges horsemen and spears to get to Arthur, where he lies pinned to the ground. Blood stains Arthur’s tunic. His face is white, and more blood bubbles from the corner of his mouth. His eyes stare at something in the far distance no man alive should ever see.

Kai’s stomach fills with lead. He presses his hands to Arthur’s chest, around the shaft of the spear, trying to stop the bleeding. “Arthur! Arthur!”

Arthur’s eyelids flutter, then fall closed.

Kai shakes his head, and presses harder.

Feet come into view, and Kai looks up to see Llud standing there. The expression on the old warrior’s face tears Kai’s heart from his chest. He can try all he likes to stanch the wound – it will do no good. 

The sounds of battle fade, leaving the three of them alone.

Arthur’s eyelids flicker open. “Kai … my brother.”

Kai grips Arthur’s hand, and puts it to his lips. “Hold on. Don’t –”

“Shh …” Arthur weakly shakes his head. “Don’t waste time grieving. Keep our defences strong when I am gone.”

Tears blind Kai. “Damn our defences!” He presses his forehead against Arthur’s.

“Do it for me, Kai,” Arthur murmurs.

Kai lifts his head to look into Arthur’s eyes for the last time. “I will do it, for my lord.”

A faint smile crosses Arthur’s face. “Perhaps, after all, _your_ shield arm was the stronger …”

He doesn’t speak again.

Kai rocks above the body of his friend. “No, no, no …”

Then he and Llud are standing beside the funeral pyre they have built together.

They’ve done this before, to trap the other leaders, but this time, Kai has told no one to spread the news. He can’t tell them – ‘Arthur is dead.’ 

Can’t even say the words.

He keeps hoping Arthur has just played another clever trick, to fool their enemies; he waits for Arthur to rise from the pyre, as he did the last time.

He waits in vain.

“Let him pass into myth,” Llud says. “Let no man know where Arthur has gone, nor where he lies.” He sets a torch to the foot of the pyre.

It catches quickly. As the flames take hold, Kai tries to cast himself upon it, to burn alongside his friend.

Llud grapples with him.

Kai wakes, looking into Arthur’s face. “Arthur?”

A dead weight lifts from his heart; he feels like he could fly. He grips Arthur’s shoulders, and stares into his eyes

“Of course,” Arthur says, amused. “Who else?”

Kai turns away, to hide his relief. He gets off the bed, fetches a cup of mead, and drinks it down in one.

“Kai?”

“It was a dream.”

“What monster or giant had you in its clutches?”

Kai shakes his head. “No monster.”

“What then?”

“I do not wish to speak of it.”

“As you wish.”

Kai sets his cup down on the table. “I do not wish to, but I must. It could be a warning.”

“Then speak.”

“It was those damned Picts.” Kai turns to face Arthur. “You were hit by a spear.” His head drops. “This time, the wound was mortal.”

Arthur takes him by the wrist. “You must be prepared, Kai, for it will surely come to this. We both know it. This life we live – sooner or later, one of us shall lose the other.”

Kai shakes his head. He feels his face contort.

Arthur pulls him in close, and holds him. “But not tonight.”

~~


	2. Chapter 2

Arthur draws him towards the bed, and lies himself down.

Kai puts a hand to the centre of Arthur’s chest. “Here, in my dream, the spear pierced you.” He leans to press a kiss where he saw Arthur’s lifeblood spilled. “Thus I place a ward. No weapon now may enter here.”

Arthur’s lips quirk. “Is my Kai now a sorcerer?”

“Are you an unbeliever?” Kai growls. “Unbelievers must be punished.” He mauls first one nipple, then the other, with his teeth.

“I believe,” Arthur gasps. “You are a most powerful sorcerer.”

“That’s more like it.” Kai rubs his forehead against Arthur’s right side, and – knowing Arthur’s weakness – spiders his hand down his left flank.

Arthur flinches, stifling an unmanly giggle, and slapping Kai’s tormenting hand away.

“These ribs have been broken too many times,” Kai says sternly. “They will break no more. I decree it.”

“That would be … some kind of miracle.” 

“Be thankful for it!” Kai circles Arthur’s navel with his nose, then licks inside it.

Arthur laughs. “Is that in danger too?”

“Not now that I have seen to it.” Kai looks Arthur in the eye. “Do you doubt me?”

“No!”

“That is well. Now to give my protection to the most important part.”

“What –”

Kai takes Arthur’s cock in his mouth, and Arthur sucks in a breath. 

“Better … aah … take good care of that, too.” 

His hands gripping the coarse blankets, Arthur thrusts upwards, but Kai leaves his erection glistening wetly in the firelight. “There, it’s done.”

“Surely … there must be more …”

“There is.” Kai dips to mouth Arthur’s balls.

Arthur’s back arches off the bed; he cries out Kai’s name, but Kai lets him slip free. “That’s those taken care of.”

“What … now?” Arthur opens to him, taking short sharp breaths as he waits on Kai’s mercy.

Kai feels a surge of satisfaction. He cracks the bones in his neck, then sets to work, licking a trail behind Arthur’s balls, until he reaches his entrance; flicks at it with his tongue, and draws a harsh, desperate sound from Arthur’s throat.

He holds Arthur’s thighs apart, and looks, and breathes, and says – “No spear shall enter here that isn’t mine.”

Then Kai breeches Arthur with his tongue, and Arthur jerks, and comes in jagged spurts, a string of high, thin cries escaping him.

Kai raises his head to see Arthur stripe himself with his issue.

“Let it enter, then,” Arthur gasps: “– this fearsome spear of yours.”

“Do you mock me?”

Arthur shakes his head. “I swear, I do not.”

“Very good.” Kai prepares himself; holds Arthur’s gaze as he penetrates him; rocks into him. He moves a strand of hair from Arthur’s face. “Now do you believe?”

“I believe.” Arthur’s eyes shine. “No one can hurt me now, but you.”

“Then you will live forever,” Kai says. “For I will never hurt you.”

~~

**Author's Note:**

> First archived here: 4 and 5 June 2010.  
> Revised: 19 October 2013  
> If you loved this TV series, please consider joining the [Arthur of the Britons Community](http://community.livejournal.com/arthur_britons/profile)


End file.
